John Wiley Price pleads ‘not guilty’ while shackled before judge print Email this article | MORE by JASON TRAHAN, DAVID SCHECHTER and REBECCA LOPEZ Bio | Email | Follow: @davidschechter WFAA Posted on July 25, 2014 at 8:21 AM Updated Saturday, Jul 26 at 5:13 AM Gallery SEE ALL 3 PHOTOS » Related: Uncut: John Wiley Price indictment shouldn’t be the end of charges Taxpayers fund Nealy’s legal tab while she claims top role in marketing club Lack of wiretap evidence may have limited case against Price VIDEO A history of John Wiley Price’s Dallas political career Price and associates plead not guilty to charges in 13-count indictment PHOTOS: John Wiley Price through the years VIDEO Former US Attorney analyzes Price indictment PDF: Read the indictment of John Wiley Price, three others Key players in John Wiley Price corruption case JWP indictment: Biggest public corruption case In Dallas history? John Wiley Price: Frequently Asked Questions DALLAS — Dallas County Commissioner John Wiley Price and three associates have pleaded not guilty after being arrested by FBI agents Friday, ushering in a new chapter in what is arguably the most high-profile public corruption investigation in Dallas history. Sarah Saldaña, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas, announced the specific charges at an 11 a.m. news conference. She said for more than a decade, Price sold the power of his office in “a shocking betrayal of public trust.” A 106-page federal corruption indictment, filed under seal on July 23, is now public. It outlines a million dollar web of mail fraud, tax fraud, bribery and other malfeasance allegedly led by Price, who faces up to 30 years in prison if convicted. Also charged is Price’s top assistant, Dapheny Fain, who surrendered to the FBI Friday morning, according to her attorney Tom Mills. Political consultant Kathy Nealy, a close Price associate, is also a defendant in the case. Her attorney could not be reached. Nealy was expected to surrender Friday. A fourth defendant, Christian Lloyd Campbell, is also charged. According to the indictment, he is a consultant who worked with Nealy. Price was arrested at an office building north of downtown Dallas around 8 a.m.; it’s unclear what he was doing there. Price, Nealy, Fain and Campbell made their initial appearances before U.S. Magistrate Judge Paul Stickney Friday afternoon at the federal courthouse in downtown Dallas. They came into the courtroom wearing handcuffs and shackles. All four of them pleaded “Not Guilty.” Price was dressed in business attire when he confidently and adamantly claimed his innocence. Nealy and Fain are both filing paperwork to have the government help them pay for their legal counsel. The four were then expected to be released pending trial, which may not occur for a year or more. In the indictment, the government says Price and his co-conspirators accepted $950,000 in bribes in exchange for Price voting favorably for companies bidding for get county contracts. According to the government, here’s how the scheme worked: Nealy, a political consultant, worked on behalf of large companies seeking multi-million dollar contracts with Dallas County. Nealy told those companies she could get them favorable votes at Commissioners Court. And that’s exactly what they got from Price. The government alleges that in exchange for bribes paid through Nealy, Price voted in favor of her clients. He also allegedly provided the businesses with confidential information that other bidders did not get. In exchange for the votes, the government says Nealy funneled bribes to Price, many paid just before or after key votes. The indictment says Nealy also provided Price with cars, real estate and income from rental properties. According to the government, these were large county contracts, with one set of companies getting up to $17.5 million in county business. The government says Price, Nealy, and Price assistant Daphney Fain used 31 bank accounts in an effort to move money around in way that would not be detected. CHART: Financial benefits given to John Wiley Price by Kathy Nealy News 8 has been following the FBI investigation for three years. Price is one of the most powerful politicians in North Texas. Since he was first elected in 1984 as Dallas County’s first African American commissioner, Price has made a career out of vocal, forceful advocacy of minority issues. He also has close ties to some of Dallas business elite, giving him great power and influence. Known by many of his constituents as “Our Man Downtown,” Price resides over District 3, which encompasses West Dallas, downtown, and a wide swath of southeastern Dallas, Hutchins and Seagoville. He’s been under FBI scrutiny since at least the summer of 2011. That’s when dozens of agents searched his home and office for evidence of corruption. Agents also searched the homes of Fain and Nealy. During that search, FBI agents seized more than $229,000 in cash along with a collection of expensive watches from a safe in Price’s Oak Cliff home across from Lake Cliff Park. Agents seized an additional $230,000 from a Dallas County builder, who was set to pay that money to Price for the purchase of a then-vacant 9-acre tract of land at 7001 Grady Niblo Road in Dallas. That builder has since taken control of that property and has built an apartment complex on it. In March 2012, federal prosecutors filed a civil forfeiture lawsuit to keep the cash from the safe and the land sale, alleging they were part of an illegal scheme. That forfeiture case was put on hold pending the criminal indictments. “Bribery, mail fraud and tax fraud will not be tolerated,” said Diego Rodriguez, Special Agent in Charge of the Dallas FBI office. Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins was in San Diego on Friday. His office issued this statement: “This morning, I prayed for all involved with the federal investigation into 2001-2011 events, but remain focused on completing the important work of strengthening law enforcement, improving services without tax increases, completing the successful turnaround of Parkland Hospital and promoting the $10.25 living wage; those issues, not an outside investigation will be the focus of Commissioners Court and staff.” “We should all allow the legal process to run its course before rushing to judgment,” said Dallas City Council member Dwaine Caraway in a statement. “My thoughts and prayers are with Commissioner Price today and in the days ahead.” PHOTOS: John Wiley Price through the years E-mail jptrahan@wfaa.com

John Wiley Price pleads ‘not guilty’ while shackled before judge
print
Email this article
| MORE
by JASON TRAHAN, DAVID SCHECHTER and REBECCA LOPEZ
Bio | Email | Follow: @davidschechter
WFAA
Posted on July 25, 2014 at 8:21 AM
Updated Saturday, Jul 26 at 5:13 AM
Gallery
SEE ALL 3 PHOTOS »
Related:
Uncut: John Wiley Price indictment shouldn’t be the end of charges
Taxpayers fund Nealy’s legal tab while she claims top role in marketing club
Lack of wiretap evidence may have limited case against Price
VIDEO A history of John Wiley Price’s Dallas political career
Price and associates plead not guilty to charges in 13-count indictment
PHOTOS: John Wiley Price through the years
VIDEO Former US Attorney analyzes Price indictment
PDF: Read the indictment of John Wiley Price, three others
Key players in John Wiley Price corruption case
JWP indictment: Biggest public corruption case In Dallas history?
John Wiley Price: Frequently Asked Questions
DALLAS — Dallas County Commissioner John Wiley Price and three associates have pleaded not guilty after being arrested by FBI agents Friday, ushering in a new chapter in what is arguably the most high-profile public corruption investigation in Dallas history.
Sarah Saldaña, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas, announced the specific charges at an 11 a.m. news conference. She said for more than a decade, Price sold the power of his office in “a shocking betrayal of public trust.”
A 106-page federal corruption indictment, filed under seal on July 23, is now public. It outlines a million dollar web of mail fraud, tax fraud, bribery and other malfeasance allegedly led by Price, who faces up to 30 years in prison if convicted.
Also charged is Price’s top assistant, Dapheny Fain, who surrendered to the FBI Friday morning, according to her attorney Tom Mills.
Political consultant Kathy Nealy, a close Price associate, is also a defendant in the case. Her attorney could not be reached. Nealy was expected to surrender Friday.
A fourth defendant, Christian Lloyd Campbell, is also charged. According to the indictment, he is a consultant who worked with Nealy.
Price was arrested at an office building north of downtown Dallas around 8 a.m.; it’s unclear what he was doing there.
Price, Nealy, Fain and Campbell made their initial appearances before U.S. Magistrate Judge Paul Stickney Friday afternoon at the federal courthouse in downtown Dallas.
They came into the courtroom wearing handcuffs and shackles. All four of them pleaded “Not Guilty.” Price was dressed in business attire when he confidently and adamantly claimed his innocence.
Nealy and Fain are both filing paperwork to have the government help them pay for their legal counsel.
The four were then expected to be released pending trial, which may not occur for a year or more.
In the indictment, the government says Price and his co-conspirators accepted $950,000 in bribes in exchange for Price voting favorably for companies bidding for get county contracts.
According to the government, here’s how the scheme worked:
Nealy, a political consultant, worked on behalf of large companies seeking multi-million dollar contracts with Dallas County.
Nealy told those companies she could get them favorable votes at Commissioners Court. And that’s exactly what they got from Price.
The government alleges that in exchange for bribes paid through Nealy, Price voted in favor of her clients. He also allegedly provided the businesses with confidential information that other bidders did not get.
In exchange for the votes, the government says Nealy funneled bribes to Price, many paid just before or after key votes. The indictment says Nealy also provided Price with cars, real estate and income from rental properties.
According to the government, these were large county contracts, with one set of companies getting up to $17.5 million in county business.
The government says Price, Nealy, and Price assistant Daphney Fain used 31 bank accounts in an effort to move money around in way that would not be detected.
CHART: Financial benefits given to John Wiley Price by Kathy Nealy
News 8 has been following the FBI investigation for three years.
Price is one of the most powerful politicians in North Texas. Since he was first elected in 1984 as Dallas County’s first African American commissioner, Price has made a career out of vocal, forceful advocacy of minority issues. He also has close ties to some of Dallas business elite, giving him great power and influence.
Known by many of his constituents as “Our Man Downtown,” Price resides over District 3, which encompasses West Dallas, downtown, and a wide swath of southeastern Dallas, Hutchins and Seagoville.
He’s been under FBI scrutiny since at least the summer of 2011. That’s when dozens of agents searched his home and office for evidence of corruption. Agents also searched the homes of Fain and Nealy.
During that search, FBI agents seized more than $229,000 in cash along with a collection of expensive watches from a safe in Price’s Oak Cliff home across from Lake Cliff Park.
Agents seized an additional $230,000 from a Dallas County builder, who was set to pay that money to Price for the purchase of a then-vacant 9-acre tract of land at 7001 Grady Niblo Road in Dallas. That builder has since taken control of that property and has built an apartment complex on it.
In March 2012, federal prosecutors filed a civil forfeiture lawsuit to keep the cash from the safe and the land sale, alleging they were part of an illegal scheme. That forfeiture case was put on hold pending the criminal indictments.
“Bribery, mail fraud and tax fraud will not be tolerated,” said Diego Rodriguez, Special Agent in Charge of the Dallas FBI office.
Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins was in San Diego on Friday. His office issued this statement:
“This morning, I prayed for all involved with the federal investigation into 2001-2011 events, but remain focused on completing the important work of strengthening law enforcement, improving services without tax increases, completing the successful turnaround of Parkland Hospital and promoting the $10.25 living wage; those issues, not an outside investigation will be the focus of Commissioners Court and staff.”
“We should all allow the legal process to run its course before rushing to judgment,” said Dallas City Council member Dwaine Caraway in a statement. “My thoughts and prayers are with Commissioner Price today and in the days ahead.”
PHOTOS: John Wiley Price through the years
E-mail jptrahan@wfaa.com